A cat's natural clawing instinct can be a challenge to its owner, but the American Veterinary Medical Association advises trying behavioral options before declawing your pet.

Written by

Dr. Rebecca Ruch-Gallie
Colorado State University

As many pet owners know, cats like to scratch - and this natural behavior can result in shredded furniture and other troubles. For many years, cats were routinely declawed to prevent such problems, but the tide is turning on this surgical procedure as a growing number of people begin to question it.

In fact, some debate is rising over whether declawing should be made illegal in Colorado. Although no other American state has completely outlawed declawing, more than 20 other countries have banned the practice.

The American Veterinary Medical Association advises that declawing of domestic ...